The 100 known most prolific inventors based on worldwide utility patents are shown in the following table. While in many cases this is the number of utility patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it may include utility patents granted by other countries, as noted by the source references for an inventor.
Inventor | Pats | Fams | Fam % | Pat Yrs | Yrs | Pat /Yr | Inv /Pat | Pat Residence | Majority Assignment | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shunpei Yamazaki | [1] | 6342 | 2805 | 44.2% | 1972—2024 | 52.2 | 121 | 3.6 | ![]() |
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory |
Kia Silverbrook | [2] | 4747 | 1311 | 27.6% | 1994—2014 | 20 | 237 | 1.6 | ![]() |
Silverbrook Research |
Tao Luo | [3] | 3248 | 2730 | 84.1% | 2006—2024 | 18.1 | 179 | 5.6 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Kangguo Cheng | [4] | 2737 | 1497 | 54.7% | 2004—2024 | 19.6 | 140 | 3.9 | ![]() |
IBM |
Frederick E. Shelton IV | [5] | 2318 | 1110 | 47.9% | 2005—2024 | 19 | 122 | 4.5 | ![]() |
Ethicon |
Junyi Li | [6] | 2119 | 1795 | 84.7% | 2002—2024 | 21.6 | 98 | 5.2 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Peter Gaal | [7] | 2104 | 1622 | 77.1% | 2002—2024 | 21.8 | 97 | 5.9 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Lowell L. Wood, Jr. | [8] | 1994 | 1325 | 66.4% | 1971—2024 | 52.5 | 38 | 8.8 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Wanshi Chen | [9] | 1991 | 1542 | 77.4% | 2009—2024 | 15.1 | 132 | 5.7 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Roderick A. Hyde | [10] | 1889 | 1252 | 66.3% | 2001—2024 | 23.1 | 82 | 8.7 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Chen-Hua Yu | [11] | 1709 | 933 | 54.6% | 1996—2024 | 28 | 61 | 4.9 | ![]() |
TSMC |
Hanbyul Seo | [12] | 1612 | 1183 | 73.4% | 2012—2024 | 12.1 | 133 | 3.8 | ![]() |
LG |
Xiaoxia Zhang | [13] | 1547 | 1348 | 87.1% | 2009—2024 | 15.4 | 100 | 5.5 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Jun Koyama | [14] | 1485 | 619 | 41.7% | 1991—2024 | 33 | 45 | 3.1 | ![]() |
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory |
Esmael H. Dinan | [15] | 1468 | 626 | 42.6% | 2006—2024 | 18 | 82 | 3.6 | ![]() |
Ofinno |
Gurtej Singh Sandhu | [16] | 1424 | 585 | 41.1% | 1991—2024 | 32.9 | 43 | 2.5 | ![]() |
Micron |
Paul Lapstun | [17] | 1304 | 246 | 18.9% | 2000—2023 | 23 | 57 | 2.5 | ![]() |
Silverbrook Research |
Shou-Shan Fan | [18] | 1302 | 1088 | 83.6% | 2006—2024 | 18.1 | 72 | 4.2 | ![]() |
Hon Hai |
Jing Sun | [19] | 1293 | 1103 | 85.3% | 2012—2024 | 11.5 | 112 | 5.9 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Sarbajit K. Rakshit | [20] | 1262 | 1047 | 83.0% | 2013—2024 | 11.4 | 111 | 3.4 | ![]() |
IBM |
Clarence T. Tegreene | [21] | 1246 | 903 | 72.5% | 2000—2024 | 23.5 | 53 | 10.1 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Alexander Reznicek | [22] | 1235 | 736 | 59.6% | 2006—2024 | 18.2 | 68 | 3.9 | ![]() |
IBM |
Satoshi Seo | [23] | 1156 | 549 | 47.5% | 2002—2024 | 21.5 | 54 | 4.1 | ![]() |
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory |
Kijun Kim | [24] | 1134 | 793 | 69.9% | 2013—2024 | 10.5 | 108 | 4.6 | ![]() |
LG |
Suckchel Yang | [25] | 1122 | 727 | 64.8% | 2013—2024 | 11 | 102 | 4.7 | ![]() |
LG |
Leonard Forbes | [26] | 1109 | 411 | 37.1% | 1975—2019 | 43.3 | 26 | 2.6 | ![]() |
Micron |
Edward K. Y. Jung | [27] | 1109 | 794 | 71.6% | 1996—2023 | 27.4 | 40 | 8.0 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Joonkui Ahn | [28] | 1097 | 715 | 65.2% | 2013—2024 | 11 | 100 | 4.7 | ![]() |
LG |
Shan Liu | [29] | 1095 | 734 | 67.0% | 2013—2024 | 10.8 | 101 | 3.4 | ![]() |
Tencent |
Thomas Edison | [30] | 1084 | NA | NA | 1869—1933 | 63.9 | 17 | 1.0 | ![]() |
Thomas Edison |
Rick Allen Hamilton II | [31] | 1062 | 714 | 67.2% | 1999—2024 | 25 | 42 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Marta Karczewicz | [32] | 1043 | 864 | 82.8% | 2000—2024 | 23.5 | 44 | 4.0 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Juan Montojo | [33] | 1043 | 852 | 81.7% | 2004—2024 | 20.3 | 51 | 6.9 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Ruilong Xie | [34] | 1011 | 751 | 74.3% | 2013—2024 | 11.4 | 89 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Donald E. Weder | [35] | 1000 | 395 | 39.5% | 1978—2015 | 37.1 | 27 | 1.1 | ![]() |
Weder Family Trust |
Jason K. Resch | [36] | 994 | 498 | 50.1% | 2009—2024 | 14.7 | 68 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Jason L. Harris | [37] | 994 | 598 | 60.2% | 2011—2024 | 13.4 | 74 | 6.0 | ![]() |
Ethicon |
George Albert Lyon | [38] | 993 | NA | NA | 1901—1965 | 64.5 | 15 | 1.0 | ![]() |
Lyon George Albert |
Michael J. Sullivan | [39] | 993 | 534 | 53.8% | 1989—2024 | 34.9 | 28 | 3.8 | ![]() |
Acushnet Holdings |
Jordin T. Kare | [40] | 988 | 640 | 64.8% | 1992—2024 | 31.4 | 31 | 9.1 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Jay S. Walker | [41] | 978 | 421 | 43.0% | 1998—2024 | 25.8 | 38 | 5.2 | ![]() |
Walker Digital |
Yunjung Yi | [42] | 969 | 687 | 70.9% | 2015—2024 | 8.6 | 113 | 3.3 | ![]() |
LG |
Tingfang Ji | [43] | 969 | 720 | 74.3% | 2006—2024 | 17.9 | 54 | 6.9 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
John F. O'Connor | [44] | 949 | NA | NA | 1901—1935 | 33.9 | 28 | NA | ![]() |
William H. Miner |
Takahiro Nishi | [45] | 949 | 343 | 36.1% | 2001—2024 | 22.8 | 42 | 6.3 | ![]() |
Panasonic |
Ahmadreza Rofougaran | [46] | 946 | 458 | 48.4% | 2002—2024 | 21.8 | 43 | 6.4 | ![]() |
Broadcom |
Melvin De Groote | [47] | 925 | NA | NA | 1924—1966 | 41.8 | 22 | NA | ![]() |
Petrolite |
David R. Hall | [48] | 908 | 753 | 82.9% | 1985—2024 | 38.8 | 23 | 3.8 | ![]() |
Hall Labs |
Nathan Myhrvold | [49] | 905 | 613 | 67.7% | 1994—2024 | 29.7 | 30 | 11.1 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
William H. Eby | [50] | 898 | 894 | 99.6% | 1994—2024 | 29.7 | 30 | 1.2 | ![]() |
Monsanto |
Seungmin Lee | [51] | 896 | 661 | 73.8% | 2014—2024 | 9.7 | 92 | 3.5 | ![]() |
LG |
Francis H. Richards | [52] | 894 | NA | NA | 1899—1930 | 30.8 | 29 | NA | ![]() |
Francis H. Richards |
Hao Xu | [53] | 890 | 635 | 71.3% | 2005—2024 | 19.1 | 47 | 4.7 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Mark Malamud | [54] | 885 | 690 | 78.0% | 1997—2023 | 25.9 | 34 | 7.5 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Hajime Kimura | [55] | 876 | 279 | 31.8% | 2002—2024 | 21.6 | 41 | 2.6 | ![]() |
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory |
Robert W. Lord | [56] | 866 | 682 | 78.8% | 2003—2024 | 20.4 | 42 | 7.6 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Royce A. Levien | [57] | 854 | 666 | 78.0% | 1997—2023 | 25.9 | 33 | 6.8 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Hongyuan Zhang | [58] | 852 | 471 | 55.3% | 2009—2024 | 15.1 | 56 | 3.9 | ![]() |
Marvell |
Muriel Y. Ishikawa | [59] | 838 | 560 | 66.8% | 2002—2023 | 21.2 | 40 | 11.1 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Michael K. Gschwind | [60] | 836 | 442 | 52.9% | 2001—2024 | 23.2 | 36 | 2.6 | ![]() |
IBM |
Clifford A. Pickover | [61] | 833 | 548 | 65.8% | 1992—2024 | 32.2 | 26 | 3.9 | ![]() |
IBM |
Chih-Chao Yang | [62] | 830 | 515 | 62.0% | 2003—2024 | 20.4 | 41 | 3.4 | ![]() |
IBM |
Lee D. Whetsel | [63] | 830 | 128 | 15.4% | 1991—2024 | 33.2 | 25 | 1.1 | ![]() |
Texas Instruments |
Devendra K. Sadana | [64] | 806 | 455 | 56.5% | 1983—2024 | 41.2 | 20 | 4.3 | ![]() |
IBM |
SungDuck Chun | [65] | 789 | 482 | 61.1% | 2007—2024 | 16.5 | 48 | 3.8 | ![]() |
LG |
Salman Akram | [66] | 782 | 290 | 37.1% | 1995—2024 | 28.6 | 27 | 2.9 | ![]() |
Micron |
Warren M. Farnworth | [67] | 774 | 289 | 37.3% | 1990—2020 | 24.4 | 32 | 2.8 | ![]() |
Micron |
James A. Jorasch | [68] | 769 | 309 | 40.2% | 1994—2024 | 29.7 | 26 | 3.9 | ![]() |
Walker Digital |
Bruce B. Doris | [69] | 763 | 433 | 56.7% | 1995—2023 | 28.7 | 27 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Hsien-Wei Chen | [70] | 761 | 382 | 50.2% | 2005—2024 | 19.3 | 39 | 3.5 | ![]() |
TSMC |
Stuart C. Salter | [71] | 758 | 712 | 93.9% | 2009—2024 | 14.5 | 52 | 4.8 | ![]() |
Ford |
Jeyhan Karaoguz | [72] | 757 | 371 | 49.0% | 1996—2024 | 27.5 | 28 | 4.6 | ![]() |
Broadcom |
Carleton Ellis | [73] | 753 | NA | NA | 1902—1946 | 43.1 | 17 | NA | ![]() |
Ellis Foster Co |
Youngdae Lee | [74] | 753 | 593 | 78.8% | 2014—2024 | 10.2 | 74 | 3.1 | ![]() |
LG |
Ali Khakifirooz | [75] | 750 | 406 | 54.1% | 2011—2024 | 12.8 | 59 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Justin T. Mason | [76] | 750 | 746 | 99.5% | 2008—2024 | 15.6 | 48 | 1.0 | ![]() |
MS Technologies |
Xue Dong | [77] | 740 | 724 | 97.8% | 2010—2024 | 13.5 | 55 | 7.4 | ![]() |
BOE |
John M. Santosuosso | [78] | 738 | 466 | 63.1% | 2001—2024 | 22.5 | 33 | 3.9 | ![]() |
IBM |
Hideo Ando | [79] | 733 | 123 | 16.8% | 1983—2020 | 36.7 | 20 | 3.1 | ![]() |
Toshiba |
George Spector | [80] | 723 | 723 | 100% | 1974—1998 | 24.6 | 29 | 2.1 | ![]() |
George Spector |
Austin L. Gurney | [81] | 718 | 182 | 25.3% | 1999—2021 | 21.6 | 33 | 2.9 | ![]() |
Genentech |
Yan Zhou | [82] | 715 | 640 | 89.5% | 2012—2024 | 11.8 | 61 | 4.4 | ![]() |
Qualcomm |
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur | [83] | 714 | 579 | 81.1% | 2006—2024 | 18.1 | 39 | 2.6 | ![]() |
Cisco Systems |
Shougo Sato | [84] | 712 | 279 | 39.2% | 1992—2024 | 31.7 | 22 | 1.8 | ![]() |
Brother |
Frederick A. Ware | [85] | 712 | 224 | 31.5% | 1981—2024 | 42.5 | 17 | 2.8 | ![]() |
Rambus |
Gregory J. Boss | [86] | 707 | 484 | 68.5% | 2008—2024 | 16.3 | 43 | 4.2 | ![]() |
IBM |
Lisa Seacat DeLuca | [87] | 707 | 513 | 72.6% | 2009—2024 | 15.3 | 46 | 2.7 | ![]() |
IBM |
Satoshi Nagata | [88] | 707 | 672 | 95.0% | 2011—2024 | 12.7 | 56 | 4.0 | ![]() |
NTT |
Tetsujiro Kondo | [89] | 700 | 528 | 75.4% | 1987—2021 | 34 | 21 | 3.8 | ![]() |
Sony |
Elihu Thomson | [90] | 696 | NA | NA | 1899—1935 | 35.9 | 19 | NA | ![]() |
GE |
Chung-Shi Liu | [91] | 685 | 377 | 55.0% | 2000—2024 | 24.4 | 28 | 6.1 | ![]() |
TSMC |
Irwin Gerszberg | [92] | 681 | 313 | 46.0% | 1994—2024 | 30.2 | 23 | 6.8 | ![]() |
AT&T |
Eric C. Leuthardt | [93] | 677 | 458 | 67.7% | 2006—2024 | 17.7 | 38 | 9.1 | ![]() |
Intellectual Ventures |
Kyungmin Park | [94] | 673 | 369 | 54.8% | 2014—2024 | 10.1 | 67 | 5.2 | ![]() |
Ofinno |
Paul S. Henry | [95] | 656 | 301 | 45.9% | 1978—2023 | 44.9 | 15 | 6.3 | ![]() |
AT&T |
William I. Wood | [96] | 653 | 259 | 39.7% | 1981—2013 | 32.2 | 20 | 5.2 | ![]() |
Genentech |
Woosuk Ko | [97] | 652 | 252 | 38.7% | 2015—2024 | 9.1 | 72 | 3.4 | ![]() |
LG |
Simon R. Walmsley | [98] | 651 | 171 | 26.3% | 1995—2012 | 17.2 | 38 | 3.2 | ![]() |
Silverbrook Research |
Jae Hoon Chung | [99] | 650 | 381 | 58.6% | 2010—2023 | 13 | 50 | 4.5 | ![]() |
LG |
Xiaochuan Chen | [100] | 649 | 636 | 98.0% | 2014—2024 | 9.9 | 66 | 7.0 | ![]() |
BOE |
This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of June 25, 2024[update].
The columns are defined as follows:
This table is a sortable list of the most prolific inventors as measured by utility patents granted. It does not include other types of invention, such as inventions that were never applied for nor granted, for which there is no known source. Nor does the table attempt to measure the significance of an inventor and their inventions. The significance of inventions is often not apparent until many decades after the invention has been made. For recent inventors, it is not yet possible to determine their place in history.
Rankings of prolific inventors have been published at various times. However, until the patent records were digitized, these lists were very tedious to prepare, as many thousands of patent records had to be checked manually. Even after digitization, it is still not a simple process. While the USPTO keeps statistics for annual rankings of inventions assigned to companies, it no longer publishes rankings of individual inventors. The last such list was published by the USPTO in 1998.[Info 1] Also, patents predating 1976 have not yet been digitized in the USPTO records. This means that patents before 1976 will not be included in a USPTO search by inventor name, and the number of patents granted before 1976 must be added to current searches.
A more extensive list of prolific inventors with additional information and ability to filter on country, gender, time period, patent type, and Nobel laureate title can be found at idiyas